The Raven and the Writing Desk
by Shiki Masachika
Summary: For some reason, there was always something about these things that linked those two.


**The Raven and the Writing Desk**

_"For some reason, there was always something about these things that linked those two."_

_Disclaimer: Disclaimed_

It was not supposedly much of a different day. It was, by all accounts, the same old Monday that the students would always have- lazing off their armrests, absentmindedly listening to Jinno-sensei as he would start to explain why x is to be divided by the product of the two extreme values of y, which is divisible by the nth quantity of... you get the idea. However, a sudden modification of schedules had made an abrupt change on the mood of the students in class B.

Earlier that morning, Narumi-sensei had come prancing into the classroom and excitedly announced how he would like everyone to cast themselves away from a the strong whirlwind of mental deprivation-his exact words. He was talking in soliloquy. But before he ended his lengthy albeit dramatic oration, he slipped strings of words which surely meant something like, Jinno-sensei taking over first period prepare riddles for an activity on the third period.

Following the logical turnout of events, everything has come down to all of the class B mentally slapping themselves to be able to come up with a witty and intellectual riddle within the remaining 5 minutes- that is, of course, with the exception of two certain raven haired students.

"Ne Hotaru-chan," tapped a brunette. "Do you think this riddle sounds good?"

Hotaru turned her head slightly, acknowledging the presence of a seemingly confused and dim-witted entity beside her.

"Baka, you're ruining the point of this activity by letting me read that beforehand."

Her peripheral vision had shown her how the lass had only mouthed an 'oh' before heading back to her seat.

Hotaru has been observing everyone since the second period teacher had decided not to show himself that morning thus giving time to all of the class B to prepare for Narumi's infamous activity. In the midst of her observation, she had noted how Koko has been scratching his head 11 times per minute which is why she opted to lend him the G11X60 Metal Collection Head Scratcher. It can scratch, massage and remove the unwanted parasites from your head and it'll only cost you 10 rabbits per hour of lending- that's the least bargain she could offer. Koko accepted it in the most animated language of his, while scratching his head. It was obvious that Koko has been having the hardest time, being able to formulate a riddle while listening to other brains ticking their way up to his ears was a really tough job.

It also hadn't escaped Hotaru's sight how she wasn't the only one enjoying the moment of everyone's misfortunes. The other person was at the far end of the room, just beside her best friend: Mikan Sakura. His feet were placed explicitly on his desk, his eyes covered by one comic book she heard to be his favourite and his hands supporting his head. He was palpably apathetic of his surroundings. She turned away from him and smirked at his indifference.

Tick...tock...tick...

Hotaru glanced at her watch; time has been running way too slow for her.

Tick...tock...tick...

Just a little more and third period- Jinno's original time- will be...

"Kon'nichiwa minna-san!"

...starting.

Narumi came in the same stance as he did in the morning. However, he did change his outfit into a frilly dress-robe. His face was masked by an all-positive aura.

"My dear students, what a lovely day it is indeed!" He walked from one isle to another shooting pheromones to his students who were either half-sleeping or still formulating their riddles. It was a whether you like it or you like it circumstance for the students- nothing can absolutely resist him when his pheromones attack.

"I am very much certain that all of you are adequately informed of the definition of a riddle." Narumi scanned the room then raised a brow, "But are you?"

"Ah, such enigma you are Shouda-san-" Narumi stopped beside the permed-hair lass, "-your expressions metaphorical-"

"More like bored-" Sumire murmured but Narumi silenced more of her words by placing his index finger on her lips.

"-your words thus filled with utmost allegory that I... I find myself in severe thoughts on how I could figure you out. " He slightly curled the soft tendrils of the girl's perm.

"And you, my dear, Kitsuneme-kun-" Narumi addressed the snickering lad,"-your mannerisms... they remind me that of a conundrum- your laugh suggests as if my words are paronomasias."

Kitsuneme straightened himself in his seat, perplexed by his mentor's choice of words.

"What in the world does _'paronomasias' _even mean?" He mumbled inaudibly. Narumi only smiled and walked away.

"Enigma... conundrums... I have a feeling Narumi-sensei was already explaining our lesson." Ruka can only nod at his friend's observation. Their teacher was truly a man of antics.

"Yuu-kun, you go first."

"Huh?" Yuu panicked.

"Haven't you prepared for a riddle yet?"

"I... I ha... have, sensei." Yuu stood up, finally processing what his teacher had meant on his statement.

"Whoever gets his riddle unanswered will get a perfect score for today's activity!" Narumi finally announced before giving way to his student.

The riddle exchange started right after Yuu began stating his riddle. Everyone was trying their best to outwit one another. When Ruka had answered correctly, he quickly changed places with the class representative and gave away his own riddle. The suit went on and on until Natsume was the one left standing in front.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" He asked in his callous demeanour. He wasn't fidgeting like his classmates. His arms were crossed and his eyes stared expectantly at someone's eyes.

"Why is what a what?"

"Natsume-kun, Koko-kun may not have heard you correctly, can you please repeat yourself?" Narumi smiled at his raven-haired student. Of course, he could never let the boy do a thing to his pleasure without using his pheromones.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Natsume repeated through his gritted teeth. _'Damn that Naru.' _

Natsume let his eyes wander for a moment; his riddle was anything but original. However, he would never expect anyone to have already known where it came from or what the answer of the riddle is. Wait... No, he did expect someone to have already read it. He scanned the room and found the person he was looking for. That person was staring blankly into space, unemotional.

Several minutes passed but nobody really did answer the question. It was an exception to Mikan who concluded how both things had a letter 'e'. Although, she did have a point, but it wasn't sharp enough to actually decipher the codes behind such riddle. Other than that, his other classmates seemed troubled of figuring out what the answer really was. Some had even raised their pens and called it quits.

RING.

Exasperatedd sighs were heard. The lunch bell had rung yet nobody was still able to answer the riddle. Natsume smirked. Everyone settled, letting Natsume have the perfect mark for the activity.

"You're so good Natsume-kun!"

"Shut up Naru."

The students started filing their things for lunch after Naru had given his last instructions about the activity. Only two students were left inside the room. One was sitting on his desk, like he always does, while reading another set of his favourite manga and the other one slowly approaching the lad sitting highly on his desk.

"So, why is a raven like a writing desk?" Hotaru stopped by the side of the lad's desk. She patted the invisible dust on the head of her new creation.

"I've never imagined you as someone this cunning." The lad peered through his manga. His lips were tugged slightly upward. He eyed the girl beside him and raised a brow at her.

"You're well aware that we came from the same ancestry." Hotaru answered pointedly.

"Hn." He wasn't in the mood for a talk to anybody, but for her it was different. He had found her company quite pleasant in past few days. And right now, he wants to understand why she chose to be silent whilst he was expecting her to answer the riddle. "I thought you know the answer yourself, Imai."

"It isn't much of a secret to me." she appeared as though she was in deep thought, "Yes it isn't." having read the book had given her all the knowledge of the true nature of the riddle. But there was something that she'd want to settle between them.

"Then why ask?" Natsume raised another questioning brow.

"I thought you know the answer yourself, Hyuuga." It was her time to smirk and raise her own brow at him. She was pretty sure that he was already getting something.

Silence

"So... why is a raven like a writing desk?" She repeated.

Natsume smiled getting the idea of their little charade, "I haven't the slightest idea."

He placed his manga back to his bag and then stood beside Hotaru.

"I think you might do something better with time-" She eyed him inching closer towards the lad,"-than wasting it with riddles that have no answers."

The lad reached for the lass' hand. Everything was already answered.

END.

A/N: This riddle from Alice in Wonderland has been stuck in my head since the beginning of my vacation. So yeah, you can see how it came out.


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